Children of the Liberated
by Communist-Kosmos
Summary: Tekno is a girl who has not explore the boundaries of the outside world, yet wishes to. Her wish is granted in an odd way when two criminal fugitives on the run encounter her. From that point, she drags herself into a situation in which she questions her decision in leaving the safety of her rural homeland.
1. Chapter 1

**All respective characters belong to SEGA/Sonic Team, with the exception of Tekno the Canary, who belongs to Lew Stringer.**

 **Chapter 1**

The bright, angry sun unleashed its passionate heat upon the metallic exterior of a workshop.

This humid, near-scorching heat was something a certain mechanic, who inhabited this building in particular, was accustomed to.

Tekno wiped the sweat off her soft brow with her feathery arm.

" _Another day in hell once again. . ."_ the frustrated apprentice thought, with her eyebrows grimacing.

Her ears caught the music of screeching cicadas, who would sing their songs continuously throughout the summer days.

The cries of cicadas and other insects of the near was yet another little thing young Tekno was used to.

She could feel the embracement of freedom from these small creatures, as well as the joyful people around her. She yearned, perhaps even lusted, for the eternal taste of sweet independence, despite knowing the reality of being not ready to explore life yet.

"You have been working mighty hard for the last few hours."

Tekno detected a warm, fatherly voice, driving her back to reality.

Her eyes snapped back open.

She had merely been day-dreaming, a bad habit that the girl had a tendency of doing.

Her body suddenly felt rigid like a statue. Her mouth began to open, as if unconsciously.

"Y-yes, Mr. Cliff." The mechanic in-training managed to stammer; at that moment, she regained control of her body, and with great impulse, rolled from under the car she was working on. And as if her eyes were the focused lens of a camera, she adjusted her sight on a dusty-furred porcupine, who Tekno referred to as "Cliff".

The elderly old-timer released a small chuckle, with a hint of a smile.

"Even after all these years. . . Anyway, how is the engine-tuning going?" Cliff said with familiar regard to Tekno, who was rubbing her eyes rapidly.

"Things are going great, sir. I was able to do some improvements to the engine, as well as the oil tank." Tekno, somewhat dazed, replied in a blunt manner.

"Fantastic! Now how about you relax yourself a little?"

"Y-yes, thank you. I will be finished with this car by the end of the day."

Suddenly, she felt a wave of dizziness hit her head and eyes with hard impact. Cliff suddenly became blurred and unrecognizable; not only her mentor, but her arms, her short-clad legs, and her oil-stained shirt. For an instant, she felt the world escape her grasp. She felt a moist tear fall from her face, as if she would never be able to experience the pleasures of her venturous heart. A wave of shadows swept over and drowned her, enveloping her vision with darkness.

"Darling, are you okay. . . okay. . . okay. . ." The comforting, compassionate voice of Cliff echoed through her mind. However, Cliff was only distant now.

"Tekno!"

The canary immediately felt someone shaking her body. With a sudden gasp of fresh air, her eyes returned to the beauty of ordinary life. All that filled her vision was the concerned, fearful face of the archeologist.

A slight pain in her head began to throb, however.

"Tekno! Are you alright?!" Tekno felt the anxiety in Cliff's voice. "Should we go to Doc Ginger?" She felt a warm embrace of an arm around her back.

Seething in another breath of air, she managed to speak.

"No-no thank you. My apologies. . . I seemed to have zoned out. . . but now I-I feel much better now." The now-relieved mechanic rubbed her temples with a tender gentleness.

The face of her teacher formed into a stern look.

"Tekno, for the number of years that I have raised and taught you, I can sure tell when you are lying through your teeth. You need a cup of water and a couple of days worth of rest. We will go to Ginger tomorrow morning."

The apprentice could only remain silent.


	2. Chapter 2

**All respective characters belong to SEGA/Sonic Team and Archie. Tekno the Canary belongs to Lew Stringer.**

 **Chapter 2**

"Your temperature is decent, Tekno. It is approximately 72 degrees."

Tekno stiffened in one of the chairs in Ms. Ginger's office. The clean, cool area of the sanitized room sent cold chills down her small body.

"Thank you, Ms. Ginger. I feel indebted to your services." Tekno gave a rather nervous smile to her doctor.

The smile on Ginger's face widened, matching the mechanic's. Oddly, the young mechanic could feel her soul turn to hard ice.

"No problem, dear! Now what seems to be the problem?" The nurse canine's face transformed to a look of concern. "Your temperature is very good. I am rather worried about your episode that Mr. Cliff has informed me of. Are you feeling any better compared to before?"

Tekno's ears screamed out the rapid pounds of her heart. Tears of sweat raced down her face, which twisted into a look of anxiety. She tried to ignore the sorrowful cries of her empty stomach.

The young girl took a look at a nearby door, and then at a nearby window. The beauty of the morning dawn eased her breathing to calming levels. Her shoulders relaxed.

Tekno looked back at the peculiar Ginger, who donned a compassionate smile.

"I... do not know what may have caused me to... I..." replied the canary. "I was just talking to Mr. Cliff after I was working, and then I started to become dizzy and my vision became blurry until I couldn't see anything. I could hear Mr. Cliff as if he knew if I had passed out... then I felt my shoulders shooken, most likely by Mr. Cliff, and I... my vision went back to normal as if I had awoken from a dream."

The room was silent, except for a sound of scribbling on a hard surface. Realizing that her head was down, she quickly turned her head up to see Ginger writing on a metal clipboard. Ginger wrinkled her eyebrows, as if in concentration.

"Interesting indeed. Are you still experiencing dizziness or any pain?" Similar to her patient, the nurse lifted her head from her clipboard and focused on the apprentice.

"No pain or dizziness anymore whatsoever." The youth instantly said, stiffening in the soft, backless cushion seat. Her gloved fingers gripped the red beauty, causing the seat to release a silent scream unheard amongst the room.

"Are you sure, sweetie? I am sorry for what you had went through. . ." Despite her professional position, the elderly canine rested a hand on Tekno. "I simply would like to know what could have caused you to experience such a trauma. I want you, a dedicated and diligent woman, to feel better; great health should be a number one priority, especially for a hard-working and beautiful young lady, such as yourself."

The young mechanic felt her eyes getting moisted and watery. She released a sniff, and quickly wiped her eyes.

"T-thank you. I understand." Tekno bowed. The heavy weights upon her shoulders felt somewhat lifted, prompting her to inhale the purified, cool air of Ginger's single-room doctor's office. For the oddest reason, the relaxed girl felt a warmth reach the chambers of her cheeks.

Tension gripped the nerves of her shoulders once again, destroying the brief moment of relief she had.

Tekno's teeth engaged in a tight embracement. Her nails resumed their tight bite on the innocent, helpless chair.

She uttered, through her clenched teeth.

"My apologies."

Ginger then approached the troubled youth and wrapped her arms around Tekno's body in a gentle embrace. The apprentice felt a return of slight calmness in her mind, as well as her body. The internal battle in her mind had come to a conclusion.

Tekno returned Ginger's hug. She could sense an odd shaking from the elder's body; however, she paid no mind to it. The urge to grasp and caress her stomach had disappeared, but the mechanic knew that short periods of joy come in small packages.

This short, tranquil moment full of beads of melancholy, she thought, would only last a couple of minutes, to her heart's dismay.

As if instinct commanded her, she whispered to her nurse in a hushed, timid voice.

"I am very hungry."


End file.
